Stepping Away

Chapter 10

Felix POV

Exactly two weeks after the KBS show, New Year's Day rolls around. Felix spends his morning with Volta sleeping in after doing a public concert the night before, singing and dancing to various festive songs to celebrate the new year. 2021 had started with loud fireworks and the announcement that Volta would be going on a world tour next month. More and more success was coming Volta's way and their energy had only been growing ever since the song festival.

All this news had called for an even busier schedule with less and less free time, Felix had somehow managed to carve out a late night to himself to do with as he pleased. He had found his way into the JYP building for a vlive, a particular live that was probably the most famous one out there. When Chan had asked him to be on his 'show' Felix had been apprehensive.

~ I don't know Chris

~ Can you even bring in non JYP members?

-I can nooooow~

-I promise everything is clear if you can get here by 9pm...?

~ T T idkkk

-Can I possibly bribe you with Tim Tams?....

~(づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ

~Yes you can

~See you tonight!

Hyunki told him he should be careful, but Felix didn't see how there was much risk anyway. That was how he found himself seated behind Chan's laptop. His boyfriend's laptop. It was as official as it could be. In an amazing turn of events they had mustered the guts to tell their teams about their relationship. Felix's members were not surprised, and as it turns out neither were Chan's. They all had various opinions on the subject but by the end of the long group chat conversation everyone was happy for them. Even Seojun (a stickler for idol rules) was able to accept the fact that he would need to help hide their relationship.

Not that it was hard to hide.

After the KBS show there was no reason for Volta and Stray Kids to continue seeing each other. The issue of the awful 'news article' had been solved which means their management had stopped planning meetups for them. This called for Chan and Felix to be seen less together on shows and interviews, which meant less need to constantly pretend like they weren't head over heels for each other. Meeting in private was also scarce, but so goes the life of an idol. They survived off FaceTime and phone calls in their spare time, choosing their words carefully when around their manager or staff.

But this seems like something they can pull off. Inviting Felix onto an episode of 'Chan's Room' seems normal enough interaction for them to have. There isn't much that can go wrong when all he did was chat and play various music.

"Felix, are you ready?" Chan's voice pulls him from his thoughts and into the present. The laptop has 'Gone Days' pulled up and ready to play and Felix also sees the Vlive website that is ready to launch. The title of the live is already typed in, 'Chan's Room Ep. 80 with a special guest!' Chan's wolf emoji as well as Felix's cat added after.

"Yeah, I'm ready." Felix gives Chan a quick kiss before ducking out of the way of the camera and Chan does the same after pressing the 'go live' button. The song plays and Felix covers his mouth to stop himself from laughing at the cheesiness of it all. Chan gives him a playful pout from the other side of the camera and winks before poking his head into frame.

Comments flood in on Felix's phone where he watches the playback, 'hello' and 'hiya' are the immediate response before people start speculating about the special guest title. The cat throws them off and they think it might be Minho or another JYP idol who uses the same emoticon. Chan pushes his chair into the camera's view and greets the live with a smile.